A Wife for a Westmoreland

The Westmorelands #20

by Brenda Jackson

For weeks, Derringer Westmoreland was haunted by memories of a woman whose face he could not recall. But he wanted--he needed--to share that intense passion again. Now. When he finally traced his mystery woman, he was met with a surprise. His fantastic one-night stand was Lucia Conyers, his sister-in-law's best friend. And Lucia wasn't about to become one of Derringer's women. For the first time in his charmed life, the ranch owner had some wooing to do. And if he wanted to win Lucia's heart, he'd better be ready to risk his own.…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Harlequin, Harlequin Desire, African American Romance, Contemporary Romance, Adult

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2011

About the author

In 1994, Brenda Jackson’s first novel, Tonight and Forever, was released. Since then she has had more than 100 novels and novellas published (the first African-American author to accomplish such a feat) and has over 3 million books in print.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Brenda is the first African-American author to have a book published by Harlequin Desire and the first African-American romance author to make the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller lists within the series romance genre.

In 2012, Brenda received the Romance Writers of America’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award—one of the highest literary awards a romance author can receive. In 2013, she was recognized by the mayor and the city of Jacksonville as being a Trailblazer in the literary field.

In 2010, she collaborated with Five Alive Films to turn her Truly Everlasting title into a feature film. Brenda’s 2011 novel A Silken Thread is scheduled to be filmed with Debbie Allen attached as director in 2015.

Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.

Reviews

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lucia has loved Derringer Westmoreland for years though he's never shown any interst for her. When Lucia hears that Derringer was badly injured after falling from a horse she just goes to his house to see how he is, despite they're being more like casual acquaintances than friends. Arriving there, she finds Derringer in a haze from the many painkillers he's had. When a clearly drugged Derringer hits on her, she decides that this might be her only opportunity to be with him. And being nearly thirty and still a virgin, what better way to loose her virginity than to the man she's always loved? So she goes ahead, even though she knows Derringer hasn't even realized who she is, and leaves the next morning thinking that was all she'll ever have of him. But Derringer is obsessed with the woman he made love with and is determined to find her... Besides, they had unprotected sex, so she's possibly carrying his child and that's one more reason to hunt her down, right?

When a story starts with such a bad premise, you believe things can only get better from that point. Unfortunately, they got even worse for me. I saw a heroine who not only used a drugged man, but proceeded to have unprotected sex with him repeatedly after that without ever considering the consequences. She also has a nervous habbit of bitting and licking her lips in front of the hero, which of course drove him nuts, but she was too 'innocent' to realize that (although we'd already established her innocence when she forgot to consider the results of unprotected sex). Finally, the author hastens to assure us that it wasn't just her looks that made her attractive, but also her inner beauty and to this point has her confessing to the hero during their first date that she participates in many charities and fund raisings.

Had it been a historical romance, I could have accepted the heroine's innocence straight faced. For a thirty year old woman living in the 21st century however, I cannot make such allowences; I can only assume she's extremely stupid and naive. The rest of the book is pretty much ordinary and flat; had a few hot scenes and that was that. Even the hero for whom I had nothing bad to say until then, proceeds to have his own act of stupidness near the end, destroying the only redeeming quality this book had to offer until that point. A complete waste of my time.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

June 2014
Listened to Audio version


August 2011
I am a big fan of Brenda Jackson and love the Westmoreland series. Although we are now the 20th Westmoreland story I still enjoy and look forward to every single one.

Derringer is a typical Westmoreland male and it's no wonder the females around him drool.

Derringer has an accident which puts him in a very sorry state. Lucia (his sister in laws best friend)has loved him since she was a teenager and still pines after him in adulthood. Because of her love for Derringer she has never managed to have a relationship with anyone else and is still a virgin. When she hears he has had a nasty accident and is now at home she automatically drives there to see if he is ok. when she gets there he is high on pain medication and has fallen over so she tries to help him up. They end up tumbleing on the bed with her under him and one thing leads to another and they sleep together. He wakes up in the morning thinking it was a dream as no one was in the bed with him but then discovers that the myserious lady had left her panties behind. He automatically thinks someone has tried to entrap him as they didn't use precautions and decided to track the lady down and make her pay!

I enjoyed catching up with some of the other Westmoreland characters and look forward to reading about some of the other Westmorelands.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hahahahahahahahahaha. OMG this book was so ridiculous! In the beginning I was pissed because the heroine raped the hero but by the end the sheer ridiculousness of all the characters just had me laughing so hard that I couldn't help but give it a few extra stars. This is by no means a good book but it's short and bizarre enough that if you feel like a little crazy, I'm not going to discourage you from reading it.


Okay, let's start with the hero's name, Derringer. For those of you who don't know, a derringer is an itsy bitsy, teeny weenie gun that was most frequently carried by ladies in the american old west because it could fit in the palm of their hand or in a handbag or garter, etc. So as soon as I heard the hero's name on the audiobook CD my thoughts immediately went to what an unflattering message this sends about our hero's package. And by God do they say his name a lot. It was way over-used in spoken dialogue and he never gets nicknamed Dare or anything more manly sounding. And while we're talking about the audiobook, the narrator definitely didn't do this story any favors. The voice she used for the heroine, Lucia, sounded like that of a 16-year-old girl. Ick.

Moving on to the plot, as I said, the 30-year-old VIRGIN heroine rapes the hero in the beginning. He's been injured in some way that was very curiously NOT explained to us. There were vague references to him being in a lot of pain and the doctors ordering him to "take it easy" for two solid weeks, but we're never told exactly what he injured. But whatever it was, it was ouchie enough that our big tough cowboy hero has to OD on his pain meds a full 2 hours before he's supposed to take his next dose. I didn't find that to be a particularly endearing quality. I was already questioning the hero's manliness just because of his tiny name, so to have him be such a wimp that he needed extra painkillers didn't help matters. Most romance novel heroes eschew pain meds altogether because they want to stay in control of their faculties, but not Derringer.

Of course, this is all plot contrivance to make it possible for Lucia to rape Derringer. He's high as a kite and doesn't even know who she is when she shows up at his house, but he's also a manwhore who will chase anything with two X chromosomes so he starts putting the moves on her. Lucia knew full well that he wasn't in his right mind and didn't even know who she was, but she's been "in love" with him from afar since she was 16 so with hardly any deliberation at all, she decides to seize the opportunity to sleep with him. If their positions had been reverse, and she was the one too strung out to even know who was banging her, we'd all be calling the fictional police. It is NOT okay just because the genders are reversed. And it's even worse that she has unprotected sex with him. So she could have gotten pregnant by a man who hadn't even given his consent. Not to mention that she should be worried about STDs since he's such a manwhore.

But of course, despite her being totally inexperienced and Derringer being high and injured, the sex is so amazing that the earth moves and the moon and the stars bow down before them. The next morning, Lucia wants to sneak out before Derringer wakes up and catches his rapist so she scrambles into her clothes, but can't get her pink panties back because he's laying on top of them. Shortly after she leaves, Derringer wakes up and immediately knows that some woman "took advantage" of him during the night. His ridiculously plot convenient memory tells him that a) the woman was a virgin, b) that the sex was the best in his life, and c) that they hadn't used protection so he could be looking at a paternity suit in 9 months. It's absolutely ludicrous that he could remember all of this detail and yet not remember the woman's face or name. Puh-lease. And at no point during these revelations does he consider calling the police to get it on record that he was raped and that if any babies pop up in the future, it wasn't because he'd been careless about spreading his seed around.

Instead, he finds the pink panties and decides that the thing to do is to ask all of his male family members what the color and style tell him about the woman who wore them so that he can try to track her down. We get a surprisingly detailed lecture from one of his cousins about what the colors mean, as if every woman out there only ever wears one single color of underwear that is matched to her personality like a mood ring. What nonsense. After spending a week on this BS, Derringer's brother finally reminds him that he's got security cameras at his place so he can see the woman clear as day. And yes, we're expected to believe that Derringer really is THAT dumb that he forgot they were there for an entire week. Wow. Also, he actually comes straight out and tells his brother what happened and the brother doesn't even come close to suggesting he call the police to report his rape.

So Derringer quickly figures out that Lucia is his rapist and thinks vague thoughts about how he's going to get back at her for "taking advantage" of him, but doesn't seem to have much of a plan for what that looks like. And, while he's been searching for his mystery woman, he's also been fondly remembering his rape because the sex was just so darn good. He's even been sleeping with Lucia's dirty underwear under his pillow because her scent drives him wild. This is just gross and bizarre. Yuck. I'm all for a guy liking a woman's personal scent but generally it's a combination of her perfume, soap and natural skin scent. It's not usually, ah, THAT scent the guy is hooked on. I know some guys have this fetish but blech, this just didn't work for me.

So he crashes Lucia's lunch one day and invites himself to sit at her table. And now all of a sudden we get an info dump of back story which says that despite the fact that Derringer hasn't spared her a glance even once in their whole lives, he'd actually had the hots for her since she was 18. But that her father had "warned him off" not just when she was a teenager but again when she was in her 20s and Derringer had been scared enough of her father's threats that he stayed away from her. I didn't buy any of this. The second time Derringer was warned off he was almost 30 years old. Plenty old enough to know that there was absolutely nothing Lucia's father could or would do to him if he decided to date her. So if Derringer had actually been interested in Lucia, he would have asked her out. Instead, he just shrugged and happily went on to shag every floozy in town. My hero. I also didn't buy that Lucia was totally fine with her father's interference and even loved him all the more for being "protective" of her. She was 24 years old the last time he interfered! That's plenty old enough to make her own damn decisions when it comes to dating! She should be pissed at her dad AND pissed at Derringer for being such a pansy as to not go after her anyway. But no, Lucia is a firm believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. So it was actually a good thing that she'd been hopelessly pining away for Derringer all these years while he banged every chick in town and she sat at home preserving her v-card. Right. This was all for the best...

But anyway, they go out on a date and Derringer keeps thinking these vague things about how any minute now he'll spring his trap by revealing that he knows she's his mystery lover...but interspersed with all that is him thinking about how hot the sex was and how being in her presence means that her tantalizing scent is driving him wild. It really didn't make sense at all. He's totally, 100% committed to having sex with her again but also plans to enact some kind of vague revenge? Sure Derringer, whatever you say...

The first date ends without him revealing the truth. Afterward Derringer gets threatened by virtually his entire family that he'd better not do anything to hurt the saintly Lucia. Even the brother who knows that she raped Derringer warns his brother not to hurt her poor wittle feewings because she's such a nice girl. It's insane. Meanwhile, Lucia's best friend, who happens to be Derringer's sister-in-law, knows all about what Lucia did and she's not only totally cool with it, she's urging Lucia to sleep with him again. Saying that "once you've slept with a Westmoreland, you're addicted." This entire town is completely nuts.

Derringer and Lucia go on a second date and finally sleep together again. After having sex all night long, again without protection, Lucia decides that it's time to break things off. That she doesn't want to be just another one of Derringer's floozies who are nothing more than booty calls to him. So she tells him that they're through. He's adamant that they are not through because the sex is just too good. She's "in his blood." He finally reveals that he knows she's his mystery lover and demands to know if her plan was to get pregnant by him. She's outraged that he'd dare impugn her honor by suggesting she'd ever do such a thing. After all, she may be a rapist but she's not THAT kind of woman! But actually, Lucia puts the blame on Derringer for his own rape. Saying that he "wouldn't get off of her" and he actually ends up worried that HE'D raped HER! It was all so ridiculous. And she angrily admits that the real reason she allowed him to have sex with her was because she'd been in love with him forever. Which surprises Derringer but doesn't make him nervous or alter his behavior in any way.

After all this drama, Derringer goes back to all the buddies he'd asked about the panty color and this time asks about what it means when a woman gets in your blood. This is a guy who is in his mid 30s and has had so many lovers that he can't even remember them all, but he needs help figuring out what desire is. {eye roll} One of his relatives tells him that it means the woman is your soul mate. Derringer likes the sound of that. Except that for some crazy reason, to him soulmate means "someone I have great sex with for as long as I choose to keep her, but don't love and don't intend to marry." Seriously, that's his definition of soulmate. Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous? So he goes back to Lucia and tries to talk her into continuing to have sex with him. And he even explains that she's his soulmate. Now, if it was me or any other romance novel heroine, the next question would have been, "was that a marriage proposal? Because soulmate means that you want to spend the rest of your life with me." But no, Lucia doesn't even question his use of the term. It's madness, I tell you!

Eventually he ever so gallantly offers her a long-term exclusive affair. They won't be dating, per se, they'll just be having lots of sex. He doesn't and will never love or marry her but he promises not to sleep with anyone else without first breaking up with her. And she likes this arrangement. She's in love with him but accepts that he'll never love her back so this long-term sex thing is about as good as it's likely to get. Incidentally, while they're having this conversation, Lucia reveals that she's not pregnant and Derringer feels disappointed. WTF???? How can he say in one breath that he never wants to marry her, but in the next wish that he'd gotten her knocked up?? That doesn't make sense!!! That means that either he DID want to marry her, to legitimize the baby, or that he was disappointed that there wouldn't be an illegitimate bastard of his running around town. Seriously Derringer, get it together!

After a few weeks of dating and having lots of sex, one of Derringer's highly aggressive ex-lovers comes back to town and warns Lucia off. She says that she and Derringer have an "understanding" that no matter how many women he dallies with, he and she will eventually marry. Lucia chooses not to tell Derringer about the catty OW's visit because of plot contrivance. Then they go to a party and the witchy OW shows up and Derringer is pissed that she's there but apparently doesn't have two brain cells to rub together, because he decides that the time has come to "set her straight" about their lack of a relationship but doesn't want to do it at the party. Instead, he thinks the right idea is to take her by the hand and pull her straight back to her car and drive off with her without even glancing in Lucia's direction. Lucia, of course, is heartbroken that all this OW has to do is snap her fingers and Derringer drops everything to go with her.

When Derringer finally gets back to the party, over an hour later, Lucia is gone and thereafter refuses to see him. He's suddenly realized that he loves her and spends the next few weeks inundating her with flowers that just say "you're the only woman for me." Lucia refuses to believe that Derringer chooses her, especially when the OW has been spreading it around town that she and Derringer did that dance with no pants as soon as they left the party, so she ignores all his entreaties. Personally, I didn't understand why he didn't just burst into her office and force her to listen to his explanation. I mean, he knows where she works and she's not hiding or anything. But of course he can't do that because it ruins the nice big finale the author had planned.

There's a charity ball and Derringer get's his SIL, Lucia's best friend, to drag Lucia to the party so that he can make a very public declaration to the whole town about how much he loves and wants to marry her. It was all very awkward and gag-worthy. The OW is at the party too and is publicly humiliated by all this so she flies off on her broomstick, never to be seen or heard from again. Done and done.



This was just such a ridiculous book that I couldn't help but chuckle by the end. It started off as just plain bad but by the end became one of those D movie popcorn flicks you watch late at night on the Syfy channel. Enjoy at your own risk!

[Jess the Romanceaholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit I keep wavering on my rating on this book.

What worked for me:
* I enjoyed the fact that Derringer was so attracted to Lucia's scent. It was almost a throwback to those shifter novels that I'm such a huge fan of.

* The love scenes were plenty without being overwhelming, and the chemistry between Derringer and Lucia was delicious.

* I'm a huge fan of novels where players/rakes/manho's find themselves pimp-slapped with love and make a befuddled mess of things because of the denial that this could actually be happening to them.

* I also liked that it wasn't a case of his never having noticed Lucia, but rather his having been warned away from her. Otherwise I think it would've been too unbelievable that he was suddenly and overwhelmingly attracted to someone he'd known for years.

What didn't work for me:
* Lucia raped Derringer. Yes, you heard me. He was high out of his mind on pain pills, she was well aware of this and had sex with him anyway. That, my lovelies is rape. If a man had done that to a woman, we'd be ranting against him and crying out for justice, so this one encounter really squicked me. Maybe if she hadn't been aware that he was intoxicated, I would've been able to let it slide, but.. no.

* It bothered me that Lucia had unprotected sex with Derringer on more than one occasion. Okay so once you forget, or in your strange virginal naivete don't contemplate the fact that not only could you get pregnant, but the man in question is a manwhore and could give you things that even Ajax couldn't clean. More than once however and you no longer have any excuse other than pure stupidity.

While the things I liked did indeed outweigh the things I didn't, those two points were major ones in my mind. As such, I'm going to compromise with 3/5 Stars.

[Cheesecake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derringer and Lucia. Lucia has crushed on Derringer for 14 years and... wait for it... at the age of 30 is still a virgin. Really???
So very very sad. Sad that she didn't try to seduce him earlier but waits til he is out of his head on drugs. Sad that she wastes her time pining for a guy who was obviously not waiting for her.
I thought that the whole book would be about his searching for the mystery woman, but he figures it out almost immediately. Also, it turns out that Derringer never plans to love or marry. But does Lucia let that bother her? Nope, this chick has no self respect until the ending when Derringer allows himself to be manipulated by his ex 'booty call'. The ending was pretty good though, with some pretty decent grovelling after Derringer finally finds his nuts. That's where my third star comes from.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. This started off really rocky and I was honestly hating this because of the whole heroine sleeps with hero while he’s high on pain pills thing. It was very icky. The man was out of it and didn’t know who he was having sex with so it was all just a terrible way to start off a relationship. Luckily though once that whole plot point is solved things got a lot better. I liked both Lucia and Derringer and I especially loved how hard Derringer fell for her and how persistent he was in proving his love for her. The ending and epilogue were cute and I’m glad that this turned out to be a pretty decent read. Definitely not a favorite in this series, but it was fine.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

"I have never felt this way about another woman"
"I have never given my word to another woman"
"let's be exclusive and I promise to tell you when I am out"
"not like those other airheads out there"

How the fuck is any of the above "romantic or sexy". Like if he doesn't treat other women with respect, statistically, he won't with you either. I despise stories like that. There is no need to bring other women down to make someone else special.

The premise is doggy as fuck. How can someone give consent when high on pain medication?

[Tiffany Parker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brenda Jackson is one of my favorite authors but this book has to be my least favorite of all her books that I've read. I just couldn't connect with the characters. I'll still buy all of her books because one out of so many others that I did love wouldn't stop me from reading her work.

[lanislittlelibrary · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF- Im unsettled, pookie. There’s a lot of things that I would simply let slide in books. Rape is not one of them. I mean not even 50 pages in the FMC rapes the MMC. He’s literally high off pain-killers (WHICH SHE KNEW) and she still sleeps with him. Not only that but he doesn’t even know who she is. And if he did know who she was, he probably wouldn’t HAVE WANTED TO DO ANYTHING WITH HER BECAUSE THEY WERE BARELY EVEN ACQUAINTANCES. How did she even know where he lived? Why did she feel entitled to coming to his home and sleeping with him while he’s so high he’s not even mentally present? They barely even know each other!!
Ew! This kind of made me sick to my stomach. I simply cannot tolerate this.

[Wsb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the way this book started I did manage to finish and enjoy it.

[Jonetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derringer Westmoreland is handsome, seductive and a ladies man. He's not ready for a committed relationship and makes no bones about it. Lucia Conyers has secretly been in love with Derringer since she was eighteen but he hardly knows she exists.

When Derringer suffers a horseback riding accident, Lucia rushes to his home to see for herself that he's not seriously injured and to offer her help. When she arrives, she finds him over medicated and over stimulated. What happens next is out of the ordinary for them both.

This next installment of the Denver Westmorelands lives up to the previous stories. The relationship between Lucia and Derringer sizzles at times and also offers a lovely romance. Their first encounter was steamy and then they stepped back to let the relationship catch up. Think of a romance in reverse and you have a good idea of their story.

Both characters are very likeable and Lucia, following her first rash moment with Derringer, is a practical, attractive woman of substance. You will find yourself rooting for both of them and will get caught up in their idea of romance.

(I received an ARC copy for review from NetGalley.)

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This latest Westmoreland book is the nineteenth in the series and the fourth about the Denver branch of the family. Lucia Conyers has been in love with Derringer Westmoreland since high school when she was friends with his sister. Now, years later, her feelings haven't changed, but with Derringer seeing her as a little sister in addition to his reputation as a ladies' man, Lucia sees no reason to act upon her desires. When she hears that he's been injured in an accident, she finds herself racing to his side and they wind up spending a heated one night together. The only problem is that Derringer was heavily medicated and can remember nothing about the evening. The rest of the book becomes a modern day fairy tale as Derringer tries to figure out who the woman in his bed was and Lucia tries to decide if she can compete with his reputation.

I love the Westmoreland books and can't wait for number twenty.

[Angelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed with this installment from the Westmoreland series. I have read them all, and this one was NOT the first one that was just an OKAY read but I will admitt that this is only the second one out of about 20 books in the Westmoreland series that I was a little let down by. The whole plot in this story was a little off well not really much of a plot.....With that said I would still reccomend it because it continues with the story of the Denver Westmorelands. Overall a decent enough read....

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great novel by Mrs. Jackson. Although the stories are always simiiar, I'm still able to fall in love with each character. I route for then knowing all will work out in the end. I just really enjoy the family feel and connections she always describes in her novels. These are educated, talented, nature and family loving people who value community as well. I can't wait for the next one...

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: The Westmorelands

[Deborah Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Night to Remember…
For weeks, Derringer Westmoreland was haunted by memories of a woman whose face he could not recall. But he wanted—he needed—to share that intense passion again. Now. When he finally traced his mystery woman, he was met with a surprise. His fantastic one-night stand was Lucia Conyers, his sister-in-law’s best friend. And Lucia wasn’t about to become one of Derringer’s women. For the first time in his charmed life, the ranch owner had some wooing to do. And if he wanted to win Lucia’s heart, he’d better be ready to risk his own…

"The innocence and childlike goodness captures the attention of the catch of a lifetime, in a world-wind of passion filed in denial that unites both Lucia Conyer and Derringer Westmoreland. In a domination of wills, theirs are an awaking of self-discovery that forges a relationship, but is that enough for a love match?

With the backdrop of snow, horses and cowboys wearing tight fittin’ jeans and wide brimmed Stetsons, in the midst, we find Derringer, all male, who oozes sex appeal with just a smile. He enjoys the inviting pleasures of the ladies and can be overly confident to a fault. Lucia is Derringer’s Achilles heel, always waiting, and wanting the one thing she’s been “pinning” for. Can she continue to welcome his advances knowing that a love everlasting is the one invitation he can’t give?

There is a strong sexual connection these two share. Derringer and Lucia are both fun characters with a sizeable amount of sexual dialogue, and four play banter giving this story an erotic flavor that keeps you wanting more. The secondary characters, and there are more than enough, from the protectiveness of Chloe, to the abundance of Westmoreland brother’s, cousin’s and sisters, keep this story light and airy.

The author, Brenda Jackson takes you on a lover’s ride of self-awareness of one’s worth and the happiness you must grab while you can. A Wife For a Westmoreland is a wonderful story that captures your heart and puts a smile on your face. If you’re looking for a touching love story, then you’ve found it. I recommend this one for a place on your shelf."

[Donna Sutay-Cooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one is just didn’t age well (it was published in 2011) and has way too many highly problematic issues to be able to set them aside and enjoy. We have to call it what it is it and not sugar coat it. The book/romance starts with the heroine raping the hero when he is under the influence of painkillers, doesn’t know who she is, and is in no way able to consent to sex. If the roles were reversed in a contemporary romance, it would be marked with all kinds of content warnings. Add to the mix multiple instances of intentional unprotected sex without consent or discussion, and a bonus evil she devil villain who is only there to perpetuate catty, bimbo stereotypes to foil the virtues of the “not like other girls” heroine, well it quickly enters levels of cringe that aren’t redeemable.

I, for the most part, have loved binging on the Westmoreland series, and see them as little flashback into the past. However, this particular volume is one that can be skipped and left to the past, because we know better now and consent is sexy.

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derringer Westmoreland isn't sure if he dreamed the encounter he had with a woman while recovering from injuries sustained from being thrown from a horse. He doesn't remember her face but he remembers the great sex they had and he wants to have again. When he finds out who shared his bed that night he is surprised and knows he must proceed cautiously. She's good friends with all the women in his family and they will make his life hell if he hurts her. But Lucia Conyers gives him a hard time since she doesn't believe anything he says to her about his feelings nor does she want to get entangled with Derringer, a well known womanizer.
I liked both characters and enjoyed the way their relationship slowly developed from a one night drug induced encounter to a serious loving one.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a big romance reader, really I am not. I am a gal who likes thrillers, crime, adventure and so forth. Having said that every now and then I will get a romance as a "palate cleanser" so to speak. This is book 20 of the Westmoreland series. Great as a stand alone read, BUT now I want to start with book one and read the whole series! (lol) There are spots where the plot is predictable, however her style of writing is refreshing and not totally dripping with "heaving mouthwatering bosoms", or "rock hard manliness piercing delicate innocent flesh", yet she manages to create a visual that does lead one want to know , (Paul Harvey) "The rest of the story."

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucia Conyers has had a crush on Derrigner Westmoreland for a long time. When she hears that he was in a horse accident, she rushes over to his house to make sure he is doing alright. Derringer is hopped up on all sorts of drugs and has been left alone for the night (in a loving family? really?) so Lucia helps him into bed and then gets inveigled in after him (consent issues here.)
The rest of the book is Derringer trying to find out who left panties in his bed, figuring it out, and then finding out that Lucia is his one true love, screwing it up but then figuring it out.
Definitely a book written in a different time and as a Harlequin romance.

[Janet Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros: I think the dialogue is written pretty cutely, at least Derringer's character is. You can sense his playfulness in the dialogue.

Cons: We never get a clear understanding for why Derringer wants Lucia so badly, her character's not well written at all. The only thing we know is that she's not like those "silly women" he usually hangs out with (what does that even mean, she's not a ho?). She has low self esteem and is constantly pushing Derringer away which I guess is supposed to be attractive?

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but sweet story she gets her man in the end not a bad story.. When you love someone from the time you're 16 and you end up getting what you want in the end always makes for a nice little romance. And I can't say I don't like these short books once in a while it's nice to have a short romance although it was book 20 I didn't know that. it was still a good book...

[Sharon Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

I love the fact to Lucia love Derringer since a teenager. Derringer had no idea that she over him.The first night they slept again, he couldn't t remember who she was, but he did know that was the best sex he had ever. It was great how them came together as an affair and he fell in love with her.

[Limecello]

Writing this 3-13-21 [you'll notice I shelved it/ tried it September 19, 2020 so....]

*blinks*

Literally have 0 idea why I DNF'd this book.
Dunno if it was the audiobook narrator, and annoying character[ization] ... or what?
🤷🏻‍♀️

[Especially since I've read and liked so many other Brenda Jackson books...]

[Mattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really a fan of manwhores and them overlooking for years the woman that they end up with, which is pretty much this book. The relationship between the hero and heroine didn't really feel that deep, it felt like he could have been with anyone and like him being her first was what attracted him to her. Then at the end when he left with his ex right in front of heroine was really stupid. Np.

[Tameka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Due to an unfortunate horse accident which has Derringer laid up and Lucia worried for him.
Her concern and his hallucination ends the two of them in a precarious position which leads them to a winding path of love.

[Jessica Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book that I read by Brenda Jackson and I was immediately sucked in! I love being placed in her Westmoreland world, surrounded by women who are getting what they want our of Loe and romance. I love these books!

[Taisha St. · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a boy becomes a man

Amazing. Brenda has done it again. She had loved him and I my him all along and they finally found there way to each other's heart. I can't get enough of this series. 10/10

[Vonetta Augustine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the public declaration of love from Derringer to Lucia because she needed it. As a woman who carried a secret love she needed him to step up in a public way. Both characters were likable.

[Turtleberry Turtleberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derringer and Lucia had and interesting story. She had been in love with him for a long time. He didn't want to fall in love because he was afraid of the pain of losing someone.
I really enjoyed watching these two get together.